


Three Crows

by orphan_account



Series: If I'm Drowning Verse [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, College, Fluff, M/M, Sequel, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 20:58:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/614270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequels to If I'm Drowning Please Don't Save Me ('cause I've got to save myself)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dublin Crow

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote sequels, because you all asked so nicely and I kinda love this 'verse myself and all.
> 
> Beware though there's going to be some major fluff here, some plot, lots of feels, some smut, paparazzi, manganese superoxide dismutase and Ash doing illegal things
> 
> [originally on ff.net]

Dean had very quickly decided that he hated paparazzi.

 

The first night he'd been pretty much oblivious to the flashing lights and whispered voices. He'd stood on the steps of the police station and kissed Cas as if he were getting back a lost part of himself.

 

Cas had slid a hand under his t-shirt.

 

It gives Sam great joy the next morning when he's poring over the newspapers.

 

"You guys look adorable," he grins shoving the paper over towards Cas.

 

The blue eyed man scrutinizes it carefully before handing it to Dean who takes one glance and drops his head to the table.

 

"You've got to be fudging kidding me."

 

Sam's having way too much fun. "Dude you were on the steps of the police station, of course you were going to be seen."

 

Cas takes the next newspaper handed his way. "They had followed me there and were waiting en masse."

 

Sam howls now and Dean glares at him.

 

"Laugh it up Rapunzel," he threatens.

 

"I will. Dean you made the front page of 2 newspapers and your photo is in 6 more. Ha you've got your hand on his ass in this one."

 

Dean grabs the paper from Sam. He can't remember grabbing Cas's ass but he was pretty lost last night so anything's possible.

 

"In this one your hand is under my shirt."

 

Cas hands him another and Dean can feel his blush go nuclear. They're right. One hand firmly pulling Cas in by his backside. One hand on smooth pale skin, shoving Cas's shirt up and out the way in an attempt to get closer.

 

The police station makes an impressive backdrop. Twin lampposts shine either side of them and Cas at least appears to have a halo around his dark hair.

 

It's the second front page Sam shows him that calms Dean. This paper has gone with a different take. The others all went for the shock value, two men hopelessly lost to each other. In this last one though Cas is smiling at him. Their heads are close but the intimacy is in their eyes. Cas looks relieved, happy even. It's a smile that couldn't fail to stop the heart of anyone that sees it.

 

Dean's never seen Cas look so open and unguarded in public before, rarely even when it's just the two of them. But that was a private moment, spied by the world.

 

This is how Cas should look always. This is how Cas would have looked at the world, if Adler hadn't destroyed his life.

 

It may have been a close call but he's still glad he socked the bastard in the face.

 

It's only then that he sees himself in the photo, really sees himself.

 

He looks as relieved as Cas does, like he's found his home once more after a long and hard journey.

 

They're two soldiers returned from war. They're two lost lovers who've found each other after a lifetime apart. They're Montague’s and Capulet’s when the differences are finally put aside for the sake of their children’s love, only Cas and Dean survived this too.

 

He has to put the newspaper down before he gets too much. He can feel it creeping in, the need to take Cas aside and have him reaffirm everything he's ever felt.

 

"This one! This one!" Sam cries in excitement. "This is my favourite."

 

Cas is tipped backwards, not as far as a sailor's girl but that doesn't matter in the eyes of his brother.

 

"This one is going on the fridge."

 

Six and a half feet of little brother bound up and away. Dean takes a chance to breathe and meet Cas's eyes.

 

"It bothers you?" Cas asks as he leafs through the pile in front of him.

 

"Sam's gonna use this until we're OAPs."

 

Cas frowns at the newspapers. Dean's favourite is on top. The Cas now looks very different from the one in the photo.

 

"He knew we were like that," Cas says in a small voice.

 

Dean can't quite believe Cas could doubt him now, not after the night before, kissing him for all the world to see.

 

He moves across in his seat and holds out a hand. Cas flows across the space between them and perches on the chair beside him. Dean wraps him arms tight around his lover and chuckles into his neck.

 

"Yeah, but it's not about me and you, it's about the photos."

 

Cas pulls back, he's confused.

 

"You know, like I used laugh at him for getting all mushy over his girlfriend’s when he was a teenager. It's just what brothers do."

 

Cas considers it for a moment as Dean rubs circles on his back.

 

"Then perhaps I shouldn't show him this one."

 

He pulls out a newspaper from under the pile that Sam hadn't seen yet. Dean's eyes go wide, this newspaper really went the extra mile.

 

Instead of a photo on the steps of the station, the abject symbolism the others decided to use, this photo was of them by Dean's car. Cas was placing a kiss on Dean's forehead, the Winchesters head bowed, eyes squeezed closed. His hands were caught in Cas's shirt, tangled in the material.

 

Most of the photos had been lust filled, romantic. Dean's favourite had been profound.

 

This photo though was naked. Dean had never felt so exposed. This wasn't a photo of lust, or relief, or hope. This was a photo of Dean broken down completely by the man beside him, open and naked, totally unable and unwilling to keep his guard up.

 

"Dude you are so whipped," Sam said behind him leaning heavily on his shoulder. He plucks the paper from Dean's fingers. "You look like a Victorian lady in this one. This is a thirteen year old girls dream."

 

Dean shuts his eyes and counts to 5.

 

1...2...3...4...5...

 

Nope.

 

"Cas," he says placing a quick kiss on his lover’s temple. "Say goodbye to your lawyer."

 

With that he's out the seat and streaking after Sam who's already a blur across the apartment.

 


	2. English Crow

Cas sits on his customary bench outside the university Starbucks and waits. It's 2.30 and Dean will be on his customary afternoon run before religious literature at 4.

 

And so he sits and he balances his coffee on the arm of the bench. He pulls out his (in reality Dean's) copy of God Emperor of Dune and enjoys the fresh air.

 

The lab can get stuffy, the smell of chemicals and the incubators catching in the back of his throat.

 

Cas isn't sure when this became part of his routine. He doesn't trust his memory of the events of the last few months.

 

He remembers the annoying man in the class he hadn't actually wanted to take. He's not sure how he moved between that moment of pure irritation to where he is now, waiting on the off chance he'll come past, knowing that the off chance is actually guaranteed because for some reason Dean wants him as much as Cas needs Dean.

 

For 15 years of his life Cas could only want one thing. He didn't know how to want more than vengeance.

 

For 15 years the white hot anger of Anna's death had burned through his soul. He was a cautious man, a broken man and it wasn't in his nature to take the law into his own hands. He's sure Adler wouldn't have gotten justice if he had been, rather a bullet to the back of the head.

 

Still, the fact that Dean broke his adoptive father’s nose is something that Cas savours.

 

He's woken from his reverie when a file is dropped into his lap.

 

Cas blinks at the cardboard folder before looking up at the man in front of him.

 

He’s seen this man before. He's a friend of Dean's.

 

Cas rarely judges on appearance but everything about him makes such a statement it's hard not to classify him as someone to watch.

 

"What is this?" he asks not touching the gift.

 

"Call if a friendship offering if it pleases you. Call it karma. I don't care. I prefer to think of it as 2 snickers and a gobstopper."

 

"Excuse me."

 

"That's the price. Two snickers and a gobstopper."

 

"I did not ask for this."

 

"Them’s the rules. No refunds. You can pay me tomorrow, I'm a nice guy like that."

 

The mullet haired man throws himself onto the bench beside Cas and drapes an arm over the back.

 

"Name's Ash. Genius."

 

He extends a hand which Cas is too surprised not to take. Ash has a strong shake, like he's trying to twist your fingers off and it's followed by a snap of his long fingers.

 

Cas has no idea what is going on.

 

"Cas. I have not taken an IQ test in many years but I believe when I was 16 I was marked as highly gifted."

 

Ash laughs long and loud and slaps a hand on his shoulder. "You, my friend, I like."

 

Cas decides to ignore the strange man’s eccentricities and ask Dean about it later. Instead he fingers the cover of the file. "What does this contain?" he says careful to reframe his question in a way Ash can't avoid.

 

"The answer to the question of life, the universe and everything."

 

He was wrong. Ash can circumvent anything.

 

He opens the cover. Police reports, medical records, school transcripts. Social services registers. All have Dean's name on them.

 

"This is..."

 

Cas remembers the file that Dean had given him, the one Ash had compiled which told Cas's entire life. This was the same, only it held Dean within instead.

 

"I do not want this."

 

"It's an interesting read," Ash grins. "Not as interesting as your own, but you are the A Song of Ice and Fire of police reports. Dean's more of a The Hobbit, there and back again. He's got a dragon but also 13 dwarves in barrels. You've got a war of 5 kings and direwolves and zombies."

 

"And dragons," Cas finishes for him although he can't see what Ash's point is.

 

"Fuck yeah dragons!" Ash says with a pump of his fist.

 

"I am not going to read this. And I am not going to pay you for it."

 

Ash rolls his eyes. "I don't do freebies."

 

"Then it is yours."

 

Cas drops it into Ash's lap. "Hey! No returns either man."

 

Cas stands and looks down at the strange man. He has no idea why Dean would socialise with such a person.

 

It's then that warm hands slide round his belly. A solid body presses up against his back and a sweaty brow lays against his own.

 

Cas pulls away and spins. Dean's laughing though he's trying to hide it and Cas is sure it's because of the look on his face, one part disgusted, one part surprised.

 

"Not until you shower."

 

Dean wipes his forehead. "I see you've met Ash."

 

"I'm not sure met is the word I'd use."

 

"Been accosted by," Ash supplies helpfully which brings more bubbling laughter to Dean.

 

He leans forward while Cas is distracted and captures his lips in a kiss. Dean's incorrigible, using the kiss to slide himself forward till Cas is helpless in his arms.

 

When he ends the kiss Cas can only glare at him. He knows he's lost, unable to pull away from Dean, he needs him, even if he is sweaty and disgusting.

 

"You are affectionate when you run."

 

"It's the endorphins," Dean grins swaying them from side to side like he's rocking a lullaby. Cas can feel the tension melt from him, it's working and Dean knows it.

 

The man is infuriating.

 

"Shower," Cas orders but makes no move to step back.

 

"Fine, but now you smell too. I think you need a shower as well."

 

He raises his eyebrow in a way which can only mean one thing.

 

Cas sighs and extracts himself from Dean's arms to pick up his bag and the file from Ash's out held hand.

 

"Two snickers and a gobstopper."

 

*

 

Cas sits at the breakfast bar as Dean clowns in the kitchen. He still hasn't showered and they have half hour to get to lit but Dean doesn't seem to care.

 

"August 14th 1996," Cas reads from the single sheet in front of him. "Laceration to right arm after falling from window. Patient states he was trying to scare his younger brother."

 

Dean's head snaps up. "What?"

 

"Twelve stitches and a two week course of antibiotics."

 

"Hold up, where did you get that?"

 

"It's amazing what you can get for two snickers and a gobstopper."

 

*

 

"April 6th 1993. Found in park with spray can. Graffiti on wall read: BENNY WEARS GIRLS PANTIES."

 

Dean sighs. He's long since stopped trying to find the file that Cas has so thoroughly hidden. Every once in a while the bastard will appear with another sheet in his hand and read it to whoever happens to be listening at the time.

 

"Look I was a kid and this asshole was picking on Sam so I..." he shrugs. The story tells itself.

 

Cas lays the paper down as Ellen and Jo fall around in hysterics behind them.

 

*

 

"July 4th 2000. Illegal firework display."

 

Dean is rather proud of that one to be truthful and he laughs along with Sam who had taken the trip with him and been just as implicit whether he'd admit it or not.

 

*

 

Cas never reads out the bad ones. He never delves into the parts of Dean's history that Dean would rather forget forever.

 

The embarrassing ones are fair game and so are the ones Dean is strangely proud of. Cas has a way of always being able to tell the difference which is an odd thing to say about someone so emotionally stunted.

 

In return he's given his own file back to Dean. He hasn't said anything but Dean thinks it means he wants him to read it.

 

He does, slowly, punctuating each unbearable section with hard won kisses and comfort in the dark. It's a part of Cas he has to know and something he's endlessly grateful Cas feels able to share this with him.

 

*

 

"May 2nd 1989," Dean reads triumphantly one day at breakfast.

 

"Oh here we go." Sam puts his head in his hands.

 

"A medical report for my ever graceful boyfriend," Dean grins showing said man and his brother but yanking it back quick before Cas can interfere and grab the sheet.

 

Cas just sits back though, arms crossed. He knows what Dean is doing and as much as he wants Dean to shut up right now he understands how this is important.

 

The report is from the year before he was adopted, when he and Anna, Raph, Gabe and Michael were all living together in the orphanage.

 

He can't deny it's a happy memory even though it had caused him a lot of pain at the time.

 

"Said boyfriend admitted to the ER at 0300 after, get this, falling from a low brick wall. Patient reports it was dark and he was sneaking out to meet his brothers and sister."

 

Cas glares daggers, just daring Dean to laugh at him. He'd been seven. Already he'd formed the tight little family unit with the other children. It had been very dark and Anna had screamed when she'd seen his busted nose. Gabe had laughed.

 

Afterwards he realised it had been funny. The way Anna had screamed and tried in her ten year old way to stop the bleeding. The way Raph had blinked like an owl, useless with blood. The way Michael had acted the big brother and taken the wrath of their scared and upset carers. The way Gabe had cracked jokes, trying to make them all laugh so it hadn't seemed so horrific.

 

Cas had sat in the ER surrounded by the only people he'd ever been able to call family and they'd laughed despite the pain and decided it wasn't a horrible accident, rather a story to tell.

 

"You were clumsy," Dean smirks. Cas wants to hit him but Dean leans forward across the breakfast bar and kisses the bridge of Cas's nose like he's seen mothers do for their children when they fall and bang their arms. A kiss to make it better.

 

Cas is momentarily stunned. This is his new family he realises. 15 years after Adler ripped what little he had from him.


	3. Scottish Crow

Cas is wound so tight that the orgasm is a relief he craves more than the pleasure that shoots through him. He's breathless, loose like broken elastic, heart still racing so fast he can feel the vibrations in his ears like someone’s banging a drum in the distance.

 

His muscles ache, held so tense for so long as he strained and moved with Dean.

 

It's a relief. Relief so strong that it pushes the pleasure before it to flood every cell of his body.

 

The relief won't last long, but Cas finds he doesn't care. As soon as he's away from Dean the pressure will build, the need to be close to him once more indescribable.

 

It's destructive. Cas knows he could fall because of this. It's a weakness, one that cuts right to the bone.

 

He trusts Dean though, believes his lover won't let him fall, won't leave him.

 

Dean's a heavy weight on his shoulder, moaning softly as he breathes through his own relief.

 

"Dean?"

 

"Hmm," the sleepy man smiles as he places a kiss to Cas's shoulder.

 

"Dean," Cas prods more insistent. He needs to speak with his partner. Needs to tell him the mess that's in his head.

 

Dean props himself up on his elbows. He looks sleepy, eyes half closed, lazy smile tipping the corners of his mouth upwards.

 

Cas loves the way Dean looks after sex. He's open and unguarded. For Dean who grew up always looking over his shoulder the look's rare. Cas appreciates the sentiment as well as the way Dean's eyes turn dark, the strong line of his jaw. He'd never tell the man but he's beautiful.

 

"What is it?"

 

Cas rolls his shoulders, tries to push himself further into the firm mattress and hide. It's an instinctual reaction, one he's trying to train himself out of around Dean. With Dean he doesn't need to hide.

 

"I don't know," Cas tells him honestly. He has no idea what he wanted to say. "I just wanted to talk with you."

 

Dean bends over and presses a small caress to his already kiss-pinked lips. He knows Cas is still learning too.

 

"I'm listening."

 

"I have nothing to say."

 

Dean laughs, but Cas knows he's not malicious, more amused and if he had to explain he'd say it was because Cas was, if Dean were to ever say the word with seriousness, cute.

 

"Then tell me you love me."

 

That's easy. "I love you."

 

Dean's smile splits his face. It overtakes his eyes so they crinkle at the corners like angels wings.

 

"I'll never get tired of hearing that."

 

"I am not used to saying it yet, but I feel I should be honest."

 

"If the truth is like that then I'll listen all night long."

 

Cas frowns. The air is warm in his room, the summer night retaining the heat of the day. Cas keeps his window open, like Wendy from the fairytale.

 

Not that he needs to.

 

Dean has slept at his house almost every night for two months now. The once or twice he hasn't and has instead stayed at Sam's he's needed to return anyway to get some clothes as they've all slowly but surely made their way into Cas's wardrobe.

 

Occasionally though, when Dean's out with Sam and Cas is alone in bed he'll think about the times Dean broke in through his window and how he's glad the window had been open.

 

"You should get your mail redirected here," Cas says simply, following his train of thought but out of the blue for Dean.

 

"Say what now?" Dean asks with a sleepy yawn.

 

"Last month you insisted on paying half the utilities."

 

"We're not... Cas we're not living together."

 

"Your name is on the TV subscription."

 

Dean opens and closes his mouth several times trying to find an argument.

 

"You don't have a toothbrush at Sam's anymore."

 

Dean lifts a finger to argue. "But, I mean... Cas that doesn't mean."

 

"Dr Mills sent your final report back here."

 

Dean drops himself down onto his front, crossing his arms under his head.

 

"Yeah well that's Dr Mills for you."

 

"Mr Singer dropped off that part the other day when you were out."

 

"You didn't have to accept it?"

 

"I wasn't in either. He left it on the doorstep."

 

Dean sighs and wrinkles his nose.

 

"Yeah well that's Bobby for you."

 

Cas rolls over to kiss Dean's ear. He burrows in, pushing at Dean till he lifts an arm to put round Cas's shoulders.

 

"Are we married as well?" he asks and Cas goes completely still. It's obvious by how Dean twitches once that he realises what he's said. It was a quick, off the cuff remark but now he's committed to what he makes into a joke. "Might as well be."

 

"It would be preferable for tax purposes."

 

Dean pushes back up again, a look of complete confused surprise on his face, as if Cas had just suggested they move to Chile to become drug lords.

 

"That's seriously your response to 'are we married'?"

 

Cas blinks. He's still too tired and loose after sex to think about the intricacies of conversation.

 

"It would appear so," Cas answers him as he tries to sort through what would have been a more acceptable answer.

 

He doubts Dean would appreciate 'yes, lets.' A reply of 'maybe someday' would probably send the man into a panic. 'Hardly,' is too much of a rebuttal for Cas to stomach.

 

Cas is thinking about it. Really thinking about it. When would be a good time for marriage? It was something he'd never contemplated before in his life.

 

"Cas?" Dean asks poking him in the solar plexus. "What's up handsome, you got that weird look on your face like you're contemplating six-coordinate manganese-three-plus in catalysis by yeast manganese superoxide dismutase."

 

Cas doesn't realise what's wrong with Dean's words for a moment then he recoils in shock. Dean looks sheepish but at the same time proud of himself.

 

"I was flicking through your magazine the other day."

 

"My scientific journal."

 

"Tomato tomato," Dean shrugs and pouts. "It's just as sexy to you as those celeb mags are to normal people."

 

Cas settles back down and lets himself smile at his partners weird sense of humour. "How long did it take you to memorise that?"

 

Dean turns aside for a moment, trying to hide the grin that's breaking out on his face. He half manages it, his mouth twisted away from Cas. He looks like a man trying not to laugh when he's just seen somebody fall over.

 

"About an hour. What the hell kind of word is dismutase anyway?"

 

"It's a redox reaction. Manganese superoxide dismutase catalyses the reaction of superoxide anions to water and hydrogen peroxide, protecting the mitochondria."

 

"Wasn't that in Star Wars?"

 

Cas decides the best answer would be to snuggle down into the sheets once more and enjoy the fact that Dean memorised some crazy journal article for him.

 

Dean has other ideas, he leans in close, nudging Cas with his nose.

 

"And before?"

 

"I was contemplating."

 

The frown that Dean adopts includes enough attitude to mark it as Winchester.

 

"What?"

 

And because Cas doesn't lie to Dean he tells him, but because Cas knows him so well he doesn't explain the full truth "us."

 

"I like us," Dean grins and kisses him long and deep.

 

"I am rather partial to us too," Cas replies when his lips are finally free. "So we are living together and you should get your mail changed."

 

Dean can't, or won't deny that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The article Dean quotes was the most read article on PNAS's website at the time. Dismutase is a great word, I couldn't resist
> 
> That's the sequel trio done!
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed. Let me know! I love to hear it
> 
> Next: I've got a half formed final final seq at the moment. Watch this space! Currently untitled. Typically work's getting in the way, but I love so much how this is going to end so hopefully it will be done soon!


End file.
